Fire-alarm system.



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PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907.

M. CONNOR. FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,1908.

s SHEETS-SHEET 1 WITNESSES No. s4s,729.= .v PATENTBD MAR. 12, 1907.

M. UONNGR.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM. I APPLIOA TION FILED JUNE 22,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A: 45/ 47 7 6; J0 m- .f INVENTOR 11 27/68 on/var 11048463729. I, PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907. M. CONNOR. FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

-APPLIUATIOI? FILED 511N322. 1906.

3 SHEET8SHBBT 3.

INVENIQR I WITNESSES: iii/76$ -$017,702"

rrmrnn sra rn 1s; earner or rron MILES comma, or PUEBLO, corner mo- FIRE-ALARM SYSTE M Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 12, 1907.

utilizing the wires of the signaling system. for

fire-signals.

circuits 'inposition as when a transmitting telephonic and telegraphic signals over the wires without operating the A further object is to provide means for c0nnecting'the several circpits into one general circuit.

A still further object is to provide means for compensating for any permanent break in the line other than when a signal is being transmitted; and a still further object is to provide means for preventing reduction of current below a certain point when signals are being sent other thanmirealarm signals.

Othenobjects and advantages'will be here' inafter referred to, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective View ofa portion of a signaling mechanism with my attachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a series of alarm systems, showing my improvement attached thereto and in position to send messages over the entire system. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the several fire-alarm sig Fig. 4- is a secnal is being sent thereover;

form of key or tional view of an improved plug used. in connection with a street-box to operate the signaling mechanism therein, and Figs. 5 and 6 are and telegraph instruments.

In systems "of this class it is customary to have the alarm system divided into inde detail views showing iiierent positions of a cut-out for the telephone Application filed June 22,1906. Serial No. 322,926,

pose the several circuits into one comm on circuit when not in use lor transmitting lirealarm signals and employ the common cirgraphic signals,. and to this end apply the improvements herein disclosed in connection with that form of repeaters shown and de-. scribed in Patents No. 223,245, of January, 6, 1880, and No. 596,250, of December 28, 1897; but as the devices therein showuforrn no part of my invention 1 do not deem it neces 'sary to show more of said inventions than is necessary to disclose the'operation of my improved device.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar relerenee-numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1. indicates one oi a system of magnets, the number of said magnets depending upon the number of circuits in the system, said magnets being provided with an armature 2, which is carried by a pivoted lever 23, said love: having a notch or hook at its upper end adapted to cooperate with certain interlocking mechanism carried by the i'nagnets. A shaft i 'is disposed above the magnet 1 and at one end thereof, said shai t being; adapted to bc par tially rotated by the repeating mechanism,

said shaft also having mounted thereon suitable mechanism 5, which is adapted to cooperate with the lever I) while a lire-alarm is beii'lgtransmitted over the (not shown,

I system.

In applying my invention to a system of this class i dispose upon the shalt. 4 at any convenient point a drum 6, said drum being preferably eylindrical and made in sections, so that it can be readily disposed upon the shaft, and consists 0'1- any suitable insulating material. Disposed upon the drum 6 are contact-plates T, S, 9, 1.0, and I], the plates 7, 18,9, and 10 being disposed above the surface of the drum 6 and adapted to engage the contact-fingers 12, 13,14, 16, and-17, said fingers being mounted upon a suitable insulating-block 18 and disposed over the drum 6, so that when the repeating mechanism is not transmitting a fire ala'rm said fingers will rest upon said plates and dispose the several circuitsinto one common circuit. The plate 11 extends from the plate 7 tothe late 10 and is disposed below the surfacc-o "the drum 6, so that whorthe drum is rotated the. fingers will not engagesaid contact-plate.

cuit for transmitting telephonic and tele-" ating or falling off. Each of the bell-crank lovers 5 is provided with a laterally-extend? ing pin 5, which is adapted toengage and operate a shunt-contact 5 and by this construction it will be seen that when the bellcrank lever corresponding to the circuit over which the lire-alarm is being transmitted is "swung outwardly the pin 5 will be out of.

the path of the contact 5", so that the circuit on this particular battery-will not be shunted, 1

butthe remainder of the circuits other than the one over which the alarm is being transmitted will be shunted, the shunt-contacts 5 ciiirresponding to the circuit-breakers 527,

turned to its norma "position and the con tact-fingers disposed into engagement with their respective contact-plates and the va-' rious circuits again disposed into a common circuit, inwhich position a signal other than a fire-alarm signal will be transmitted. through all of the various circuits at the same time. The reduction of the current through the various lines is produced by disposing resistance-wires 51-, around the telegraphic keys and telephoning instruments, so that when the keys are opened, the resistance will choke the cui rent passing therethrough and weaken the current suHiciently to allow the magnets having a strong ret actilc spring to operate.

As shown in the several figures of the drawings, I have provided a resistance 52, which disposed between the terminals of each individual circuit, so that when an alarm is sent in over any one circuit the resistance between the'terminalsfloi tlfe remainder ofthe circuits will be choked and prevent an entire removal of current strength,

so that the armatures on these circuits will be held into engagement with their respective magnets until such time as the repeating mechanism will direct the kicking-hooks into engagement with the armature-levers and the drum rotated to out out resistance,and thereby hold these armatures against operationf Y 'best shown in When a permanent break is made" in any of switches 53, said switches being permanently connected to one ofthe terminals of each cir curt and adapted to be disposed into engage-v ment with contact-points 54 in the opposite terminal, thereby directing the current through said switches instead of through the resistance-wires, and said switchesare maintained in this position until the wire has been repaired and the circuit'therethrough re stored.

. In Fig. 4 of the drawings 1 have shown a suitable device for use m connection with the street-boxes for reducing current in the cir-.

cuit, and thereby causing a signal to be made, said device comprising a split plug 55, the upper end of said plug being wound with suitable resistance material 56, said resistfnde beingcovered with insulating material and that end ofthe plug containing the resistance provided with .a handle-section 57. The plug 55 is applied to use in the street-boxes 42 by inserting the plug in a suitable'circuitbreaking mechanism 42, as into en agement with the usual form of lightning-pl jack.

To prevent-the accidental opening of the circuit, and thereby sound an alarm of fire, as when the current is weakened by several persons attempting to use the wire' for telegraphic or telephonic signals at the same time, I have provided a cut-out around each telegraph-key and telephone-jack, which is ically illustrated. as applied to use'in Fig. 2 of the drawings. As shown, the cut-out consists of a curved arm" 58, which is secured in any preferred manner to a' relayanagnet 59;

the free end oi' said arm forming a support for a longitudinally-movable plunger 60,

said plunger being in contact with the local circuit-wire 61, said local wire extending from the plungerthrough the sounder-magnet 62 to the armature-lever 63, said armature-lever being provided with a retractilc spring 64, so that when the current in the main line has been reduced the armature-lever 63 will be drawn away from the relay-magnet 59 and intoengagement with the plunger 60, so that the sounder-magnet will be operated, the position of the several parts while operating the. sounder-magnet being illustrator the drawings. A spring 65. is disposed around the. plunger 60, one end thereof being secured to the plunger, while the opposite end engages the arm'58, thereby assisting the reduced current iii overcoming the retractile spring and holding the position illustrated in Fig. 5, while the plun ger is' prevented from moving too 'lar 111 the opposite direction by means ot a stop or pin 66, disposed through the plunger (30 at the opposite side of the curved arm- Disposed at each side of the telephone s4 and ate or in connection with the usual form of spring- Figs/5 and 6 and diagrammat-r i 11.5 in Fig. 5 of Inultaneously.

points 69'and 7 0, which would result in the current being shunted or directed around. the

telephone and telegra h-lrey through the wires 67 and 68, there )y cutting this telephone and telegraphkey completely out oi the circuit and preventing a further reduction of the current, the position of the several parts of the device when shunting being clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawing.

What I claim is-- 1. The combination with a plurality oi circuits having alarms and a repeating; mechanism insaid circuits, of a drum secured. to a portion of said repeating mechanism and means disposed in cooperative relation with saidglgum and circuits whereby" a signal will be transmitted through all of said circuits si- 2'. The .con' bination with a plurality oi elec iic circuits having signaling mechanism at various points and a repeating mechanism for said circuits, of a drum on said repeatingmechamsm, contact -plates on said drum and fmeans to dispose said circuits into engage merit with said plates whereby the individual circuits will be disposed into one common circuit.

, 3;. The combination with a repeating mechanism for alarm systems, of a drum secured to said repeating mechanism, contactplatcsgg ijfiiaid drum," contactriingers disposed over said drum" and adapted to engage said contact-plates, auxiliary plates secured to said drum and adapted to engage said fingers when the drum rotated and a plurality of c rcuits connected to said fingers.

4. Ah attachment for a plurality of signal lIlg-Cll'CllllJ-S having av repeating mechanism,

comprising a drum, contacbplates; on said drum, fingers disposed over said d'rum'and adapted to engage said contact-plates whereby individual circuits will he dispcsed into a common circuit, when said fingers engage said contact-plates and auxiliary plates on said drumadapted to, cngagef'said fingers when the drum is rotated thereby disposing said common circuit into individual circuits. '5. An attachment 'for alarm systems comprising a drum, contactqilates on said drum,

fingers-to engage'said contactplates to distelegraph-hey 45 are wires 67 and G8, respeccircuit, and] auxiliary 'Whereby a furthi-n' reduction ceases pose said individual circuits into a common lates on said drum adapted to engage said said common circuit into individual circuits. 6. The herein-described signaling system comprising a plurality of individual circuits, a re eater disposed into cooperation with said individual circuits, a drum disposed on said repeater, means to rotate said drum,

fingers and dispose contact-plates on said drum, fingers disposed into cooperation with said lates whereby individual circuits will be sposed into a common circuit, signaling mechanism at vai'ious points in sa d circuits, means carried by said drum to a ose .said common circuit into individual circuits and additional means to operate said. circuits whereby various alarms will be sounded.

7. The combination with a plurality of independent circuits having, alarms and a repeating mechanism. in said circuits; or" a'drum secured to a portion. of said repeating inecbanism and adapted to be operated thereby, a plurality of contact-plates on said drum, contactrfin gers in said circuits adapted to cooperatcw'ithsaid plates and switches in said circuits adjacent said fingers whereby the circuit may be, shunted from said fingers.

8. The combination with a plurality of in dependent circuits having alarms and signalins mechanism thereon and means to dispose said independent circuits into a common circuit, of a resistance between the. poles of each independent circuit whereby when an alarm istransmitted over one of the circuits an encircuits, of means to dispose all of said circuits into a common circuit and means to automatically cut out a portion of said s1gnahng instruments when the current in the common circuit is reduced to a predeter mined point.

10. The combination with a plurality of individual circuits and means to dispose said individual circuits'into a common circuit, of telephonic and telegra hic signaling devices in said circuits adapts to be operated. by a reduction of current strength in said circuits,

and shunting devices in said circuits adapted to be automatically operated when the current' is reduced" to a ,predetermined point of current strengthwill' be prevented. l

' 11. The cmnbination with a plurality of independent circuits adapted to transmit fire alarm signals when the circuit is broken and to transmit telegraphic and telephonic signals when the current strength is reduced, of means to d spose all of said individual circuits into acominon circuit, signaling devices In testimony whereof I have signed rny on said circuits and means to shunt the curments.

) name to this specification in the presence of rent around said signaling devices when the two subscribing witnesses. current strength has been reduced to a prede- I MILES CONNOR. termined point Whereh preventing the acci- I Witnesses: dental operation of" te fire-alarm 'instru- D. H. RYAN,

GEO. E. BALDWIN. 

